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If a bonus, commission, incentive or other variable-pay amount looks wrong, compare the payslip with the written pay terms and the records used to calculate it. Then ask your employer or payroll team for a written explanation, keep the supporting documents and escalate the issue if it remains unresolved. Whether you are owed a particular amount—and what you can do about it—depends on your location and the terms of your employment or pay plan.
Start by identifying what the payslip shows—and what you expected
Write down the pay period, the variable-pay amount shown on the payslip, the amount you expected and the difference. If no amount appears, record that too. Note whether the issue is a missing payment, a smaller-than-expected payment, or a figure that appears under an unfamiliar description. These are useful starting points for a payroll query; they do not, by themselves, establish that the employer has made an error.
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Variable pay can include commission, bonuses, incentives and other performance-related amounts. A payslip may show the amount paid without explaining the full calculation. To assess it, you will usually need to check the terms governing the payment alongside the sales, targets, hours or other inputs used for the relevant period.
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- Unexpected amount: a payment appears, but it does not match your calculation or records.
- Timing question: the payment may be due in a different period under the written plan or arrangement.
- Record or deduction concern: the payslip may appear to show incorrect deductions or other payroll information, which is different from a disagreement about how a bonus or commission was calculated.
Keep these possibilities separate as you investigate. A discrepancy is a reason to ask for the calculation; it is not enough information to conclude why the amount differs.
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Check the terms that govern the payment
Look for your employment contract, written commission or bonus plan, and any relevant updates or communications about the plan. Identify the rules that determine whether a payment is earned, how it is calculated, which period it relates to and when it is paid. Pay particular attention to any target, eligibility condition, calculation basis or timing term that applies to your role and the period in question.
Then compare those terms with records that support your own calculation. Depending on the arrangement, these may include sales or commission statements, target results, hours, shifts or other performance records. If the plan uses figures or definitions you cannot see, note exactly what is missing so you can ask payroll or your manager to explain it.
In the UK, GOV.UK says performance-related pay should be based on clear, measurable targets that the employer communicates to the worker. That is useful context when checking a plan, but it does not mean every bonus is automatically guaranteed or that a particular amount is owed regardless of the plan’s terms.
In Australia, an award or agreement may also be relevant where one applies. The Fair Work Ombudsman advises workers who think their pay is wrong to check the applicable award or agreement as well as their payslips, rosters, bank statements and employment records. The rules and instruments that apply depend on the worker’s circumstances.
Work out and document the difference
Make a simple comparison for the specific pay period rather than relying on a rough estimate. Keep the calculation understandable: show the inputs you used, the relevant plan term if you can identify it, the amount you expected and the amount actually shown or paid. If an input is uncertain, label it as uncertain rather than presenting it as fact.
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| Record to check | What it can help establish |
|---|---|
| Contract or written pay plan | The stated eligibility, earning, calculation and payment terms. |
| Sales, target or performance records | The figures or results used in your estimate, where these are part of the plan. |
| Timesheets, rosters or hours records | Relevant hours or shifts where the payment calculation depends on them. |
| Payslip and bank statement | What was recorded as pay and what was deposited for the period. |
| Messages, statements or prior explanations | What you were told about the plan, the calculation or a change in timing or terms. |
Save the original payslip and make copies of the records you rely on. Do not alter source documents to make a calculation easier to read; keep your own calculation separately. The Fair Work Ombudsman specifically recommends using payslips, rosters, bank statements and employment records when checking pay. In Australia, employers also have record-keeping obligations for incentive-based payments and bonuses, as described below.
Ask payroll or your employer for a written explanation
Contact the payroll team, manager or other employer contact responsible for pay. State the period and amount at issue, briefly explain how you arrived at your expected figure, and ask for the calculation and the reason for any difference. If no payment appears, ask whether it was omitted, deferred, or treated as not earned under a particular plan term. A neutral, specific request gives the employer a clear issue to investigate without assuming the cause.
Where possible, make the request in writing. If you first discuss it in person or by phone, send a short follow-up recording the date, what was discussed and any agreed next steps. GOV.UK recommends asking the employer to set out in writing how pay was calculated and keeping letters and notes of meetings. The Fair Work Ombudsman similarly advises raising the issue with supporting information, making notes and following up in writing.
You can adapt this message:
Subject: Question about variable pay for [pay period]
Hello,
My payslip for [pay period] shows [amount or no variable-pay amount] for [commission, bonus or incentive]. Based on [briefly identify the plan term and records], I expected [amount or explanation]. Could you please provide the calculation used and explain whether the payment was omitted, deferred or adjusted, and which plan term or records were applied?
I have attached [relevant records]. Please let me know if you need anything else to review this.
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Keep a copy of the message and attachments. If the employer replies verbally, record your understanding and ask them to confirm any calculation or next step in writing. The aim is to establish which terms and inputs were used, not just to repeat that the final figure seems wrong.
Allow time for a response and keep a paper trail
Save the payslip, plan or contract, relevant records, your calculation and all messages together. Make a brief note of discussions, including dates, who you spoke with and what was agreed. If the employer says it is investigating, note the expected follow-up date and what information they still need.
The Fair Work Ombudsman gives one week as an example of time to allow an employer to respond. That is an example from Australian guidance, not a universal legal deadline. The appropriate time to wait may depend on the issue, the pay cycle and local rules. If the employer gives a response date, or asks you for particular supporting information, keep track of it and follow up if that date passes without an answer.
Preserve the original records even if the employer provides a corrected payslip or payment later. A correction can resolve the immediate discrepancy, while the earlier documents show what was first recorded and when it was corrected.
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Use the response to diagnose the problem
Once you receive an explanation, compare it with the written plan and the records—not just with your original estimate. Ask for clarification if the employer’s answer uses a different pay period, target result or calculation input than the one you relied on. Common diagnostic categories include:
- Calculation or data-entry issue: an input may have been omitted or recorded differently. Ask which figures were used and whether a correction is needed.
- Payment timing under the plan: the employer may say the amount is paid in another period. Check the written timing term and ask when it is expected to appear.
- Disagreement about eligibility or a target: ask which earning condition was not met and what records support that conclusion. Compare those records with the plan’s stated conditions.
- Different interpretation of the plan: identify the term in dispute and seek local employment advice if the wording or its application remains unclear.
- Incorrect or suspicious payslip information: if the concern involves deductions or payroll records rather than the variable-pay calculation, treat it as a separate issue and follow the relevant authority’s guidance.
These are ways to organize the inquiry, not conclusions about what happened in any particular case. A written explanation may resolve a simple processing error, or it may reveal a substantive disagreement about what the plan requires.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the issue remains unresolved, escalate it locally
If the employer does not explain the calculation, or you still disagree after reviewing the explanation, use the employer’s formal grievance procedure if there is one. Set out the timeline, the term or calculation you dispute, the supporting records and the outcome you are asking the employer to consider. Keep the grievance factual and retain a copy.
External options depend on where you work, the kind of claim and the terms that apply. A local employment authority, union or qualified employment adviser can help you understand the appropriate route. Seek advice promptly rather than assuming a deadline from another country or from a different type of claim applies to you.
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United Kingdom
GOV.UK advises workers who believe an owed bonus or commission was missed to speak to the employer, request a written calculation and keep letters and meeting notes. It says non-payment of commission or bonus included in a contract may amount to breach of contract and may also raise unlawful-deduction or discrimination issues, depending on the circumstances. GOV.UK points workers to Acas, Citizens Advice or a trade union for help.
Acas recommends raising unpaid commission informally first, confirming discussions in writing and considering a formal grievance if the issue is not resolved. Depending on the facts, possible routes can include an employment tribunal claim for unlawful deduction from wages or a contract claim in court. Acas states a six-year period for breach-of-contract claims in England and Wales, and five years from knowledge of the loss for sheriff-court breach-of-contract claims in Scotland. Those periods refer to the specific breach-of-contract contexts Acas describes; they are not a universal deadline for every pay dispute or claim. Get advice promptly about the route and time limit that applies to your case.
Australia
The Fair Work Ombudsman advises workers to raise a pay concern with the employer and provide the information they have gathered. If an award or agreement applies, check it as part of understanding the pay calculation. The Ombudsman’s guidance recommends keeping notes of discussions and following up in writing; it also suggests allowing time for a response, with one week given as an example.
Australian pay-slip and record-keeping rules have specific requirements. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s fact sheet says pay slips must identify bonuses, incentive-based payments and other separately identifiable entitlements paid. It also says pay records must include details of incentive-based payments, bonuses, loadings, penalty rates and allowances. Employers must retain employee records for seven years and make them available to current or former employees on request. These are Australian requirements, not standards that can be assumed to apply elsewhere.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsSeparate an ordinary pay dispute from suspected payslip fraud
A disagreement about whether a target was reached or how commission was calculated is not the same as evidence that a payslip is false or that deductions shown on it were not paid to the tax authority. Do not treat an unexplained variable-pay figure alone as proof of fraud. First identify what is inconsistent and which records can confirm it.
For UK workers who suspect that tax or National Insurance deductions shown on a payslip were not properly paid to HMRC, HMRC’s guidance published on 25 August 2026 advises checking deductions against official records, including a Personal Tax Account, the HMRC app or a National Insurance record, and explains how to report suspected payslip fraud. That guidance is for a suspected payroll-integrity issue; it is not the ordinary route for contesting a bonus calculation.
What to have ready before you follow up
- The pay period and the exact figure shown—or a note that no variable-pay figure appears.
- The relevant contract, commission or bonus plan, and any written updates.
- Your calculation, with the inputs and plan terms identified.
- Supporting performance, sales, hours or roster records relevant to the calculation.
- The payslip, bank statement and messages or notes about the issue.
- A clear request: the calculation used, the reason for the difference and the next step if a correction is due.
With those items in hand, you can make the issue specific, give the employer a fair chance to explain it and decide whether it calls for a correction, a formal grievance or local employment advice.
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